Former ACTU chief Jeff Lawrence is being tipped for appointment to the nation's industrial relations commission by Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten.

Mr Lawrence was ACTU secretary from 2007 until last May, and has been repeatedly rumoured to be joining Fair Work Australia.

Mr Lawrence said this morning that he had read an Australian Financial Review report speculating on his likely appointment in Sydney as a senior deputy president.

''It was interesting. But I haven't got any other comment,'' he said.

Mr Lawrence said that earlier speculation that he would take up one of two new powerful vice-president positions, created in a review of the Fair Work Act last year, was wrong. ''That was silly,'' he said.

In October, Liberal MP Jamie Briggs speculated in parliament that Mr Lawrence was bound for the industrial relations commission, in one of the two new vice-president roles.

''He has a bit of time on his hands, is looking around for new opportunities — and guess what pops up? There we are: vice-president of Fair Work Australia. It pays pretty well — $350,000 to $360,000 a year with a car, superannuation, a nice office, two associates,'' Mr Briggs said.

Also reported as a likely appointment to the commission is Australian Industry Group national industrial relations officer Stephen Smith. He declined to comment when contacted this morning.

A spokesman for Mr Shorten said that no decision had been made on the appointees and any decision would need to be considered by federal cabinet, when Parliament sits in early February. Expressions of interest for the two new vice-president positions closed in late December.